Yolo Causeway Job Big Factor In Un employment Ref ie]

The California Redwood industry is having an excellent opportunity to observe at close range the workings of Federal emergency relief construction through the use of their products in the widening of the Yolo Causeway, near Sacramento, on which project funds supplied by the Reconstruction Finance Corporation are being used by the California Division of Highways.

The original 'concrete and timber trestle, whi,ch is more than three miles long, was constructed in 1916 and the 22-loot roadway which had become inadequate, and therefore dangerous for present trafiic, is being widened by constructing a Redwood trestle beside the original causeway, so that the completed structure will have a clear roadway ol 42 feetlvide and a 3-foot sidewalk.

Structural gradeg of Redwood have been used for the majority of the timber bridges built by the California Division of Highways.in.the.lastfour years. An added incentive for the use of Redwood in this structure is the fact that its use insures that the greater,portion of the fundb expended w.ill go to the direct relief of Californials unemployed.

More thah 5;500;000 fe.et of 'Redwood 'tiinbers and 3500 Redwood piles are required for the trestle. The efiect of the specification of Redwood for this project was imme- diate in the Redwood region, for the reason that speed in construction is necessary owing to the fact that emergency relief funds must be expended by the end of the present fis,cal year. As soon as specifications were published crews were put in the woods to get the lengths and quality of logs needed to produ,ce the timbers. Plans were made to increase production at the mills and to secure the piling, and hundreds of men went back to their jobs or were restored to a full time schedule.

The contract for the job was let to D. McDonald of Sacramento and N. M. Ball of Porterville late in October, 1932, 'callins for the completion in 18O days. The test piling were shipped on October 31, and practically all of the 3500 piles were delivered within two months. Lumber shipments began November 26, and more than 3,000,000 feet have left the mills since that date. Construction at this date is well ahead of schedule.

The production of piling had to be crowded into a very short period, but what was lacking in duration of employment was made up by the spread of the work. Smitt land owners were given an opportunity to furnish piling, enabling them to capitalize their own and neighboring labor, tractors, trucks and stumpage. More than 20 indi- viduals with crews ranging from 6 to 50 men received contracts for this rvork. More than 100 cars of piling were shipped by rail, and several trucking contractors were kept busy for two months hauling from piling yards ofi the railroad.

The largest items in the Redwood order are 13,808 stringers, 6xl6-20 ft., using 2,2W,W f.eet; 2,417,M feet of 3x6 decking, and 866 ,caps, 12x14-24 f.t., totaling 29I,NO feet. The size of the proje,ct is indicated by the volume of minor items such as 100,000 feet for solid bridging, and a larger volume for sway braces.

In addition to the Redwood trestle the contract calls for construction of a new bascule span, the lowering of a portion of the present concrete and timber trestle, and the replacing of the decking of the existing timber trestle which will use 250,000 feet of Douglas Fir.

The contractors are employing 200 men, working in two five hour shifts, 30 hours a week.

B. W. LAKIN RETURNS FROM EASTERN TRIP

B. W. Lakin, general manager of The McCloud River Lumber Company, McCloud, Calif., was a Los Angeles visitor the first of the month while enroute to the mill following a business trip in the East. L. S. Turnbull, the company's Southern California and Arizona representative met Mr. Lakin at Tucson where they spent a few days calling on the Arizona trade. Mr. Lakin also spent a ferv days at the company's San Francisco ofifice where he conferred with W. G. Kahman, district sales manager, before returning to McCloud.